


in all this turmoil, before red cape and foil come closing in for a kill

by brodinsons (aeon_entwined)



Category: Man of Steel (2013)
Genre: Afterlife, Coda, Introspection, M/M, Suicidal Thoughts, also warning for spoilers for the film, it's 4am and i'm writing about gay aliens as you do
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-18
Updated: 2013-06-18
Packaged: 2017-12-15 09:11:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/847800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeon_entwined/pseuds/brodinsons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zod's demons finally catch up to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	in all this turmoil, before red cape and foil come closing in for a kill

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [[翻譯] 在動盪中，於鬥士為殺戮而逼近之前](https://archiveofourown.org/works/865458) by [masayosi661](https://archiveofourown.org/users/masayosi661/pseuds/masayosi661)



The struggle is purely physical now.

Zod knows there is only one outcome for this particular battle and he will see it through to his ends. Krypton's last son may have his father's moral center, but even that will be forced aside. He will ensure it.

Kal bellows a warning, his arm tightening further around Zod's throat. Zod grits his teeth, straining against all that Earth-born strength that he still has yet to properly master. 

There's poetic irony somewhere in this; the father's killer being brought to judgment by the son. Really, he thinks it's rather fitting. He has woken with Jor-El's blood on his hands every day for the last three decades. His demons have finally caught him. Kal-El will be his escape, his salvation. 

He strains against Kal's hold again, his heat vision inching closer to the cowering humans. Zod holds nothing against the innocents. They merely chose the wrong outcrop to seek shelter behind. Unfortunate collateral damage on a much larger playing field.

Then, it's over.

Kal's hands move and Zod knows the flaring pain of a broken neck before the world goes dark.

Blackness.

The endless void.

At first, a distant sense of _relief_ is all he knows. The burden has been lifted. Krypton is dead. His existence is negligible. His purpose is finished. Kal-El never needed his protection.

Gradually, Zod becomes aware of existence beyond what he can only assume are his closed eyes. He blinks several times, keeping them closed as he slowly reacquaints himself with a physical form. He feels inexplicably heavy, as though all his limbs are weighed down. But, they still respond to his commands.

Once he summons the strength to open his eyes, Zod is greeted with a blurred world of white above and around him.

He blinks several times to clear his vision, then turns his head to the side when he becomes aware of a presence settling down beside him. He swallows, and risks lifting his gaze to observe the visitor's face.

Jor-El stares back at him, expression patient and almost saddened. 

When Zod opens his mouth to speak, to apologize, to beg any manner of forgiveness, to demand answers, Jor-El merely holds up a hand, shaking his head. Zod obediently falls silent.

"We have more than enough time for that," Jor-El intones, shifting closer on his seat. "Rest, now. Please."

Zod considers arguing, but he finds the exhaustion of his physical body has somehow translated into this one.

"You haunt me," he confesses, turning away.

Jor-El makes an indistinct noise, but Zod imagines he disapproves. Then, there is an arm around his shoulders and a palm braced against the crest inscribed into the armor on his chest.

"I was always yours."


End file.
